Standard Upgrade Procedure

Upgrading b2evolution is a simple process: backup > upload the files for the new version > run the installer in order to upgrade your database. The installer is able to upgrade any older version of b2evo, no matter how old it is.

Below we will detail this simple process with probably more details than you need. These details are here to reassure the less tech savvy users among us…

Before you begin, please note that some network features of b2evolution require you to agree to our simple Terms of Service. Also, please note that all the folders mentioned below have blogs as root folder in standard releases, but it may vary depending on your own setup.

Also note that there will be some minor downtime to your blog by following these instructions.

Step 1. Backup your b2evolution folder

Remember to take special care of the files you may have modified, including /conf, /skins, /plugins, your /media directory and possibly stubfiles, hacks or custom templates…

Step 2. Backup your b2evolution database

Optional: validate your existing DB

You can do this by restoring the /install folder of your current (old) b2evolution version (be very careful to use the correct version and NOT to mix different versions).

Then run the install script and select "upgrade" even though there should be nothing to upgrade. b2evolution will detect that the DB is up to date but will still validate it to see if everything is as expected. If not, it will propose to do some repairs.

Do not continue upgrading until this step terminates without detecting any error.

Step 3. Delete existing (old) files

This is not strictly necessary but we recommend you delete all your existing b2evolution files from your site before uploading the new ones. This will ensure you don’t keep unnecessary files on your site after upgrading. It’s also better for security.

Do NOT delete the following files and folders (that you will find in the directory where your b2evolution is installed):

conf/_basic_config.php (it contains the configuration to access your database; if you deleted it, you would have to reconfigure)

media/ (it contains your uploaded files/images; if you delete it, you would have to restore from backup)

skins/*your_custom_skin_folders* if you have custom skins. (if you delete them, you would have to restore from backup later)

Note: it’s best to delete all hacks & plugins for now and re-add them progressively. 3rd party plugins may not work with the new version.

Step 4. Upload all the new files

We cannot stress this enough: ALL FILES!

If you haven’t done step 3, it means you must OVERWRITE all the old files that have a new file equivalent. And that means you can’t reuse your old customized files. You must also overwrite all the files in the /conf folder (the DB connection information will not be overwritten, the file /conf/_basic_config.php is not part of the distribution).

Step 5. Run the installation/upgrade scrip

It is located in http://yoursite.com/yourblogsfolder/install/index.php. It is the same script for installation and upgrade. It will offer you to upgrade if it detects an existing b2evolution database.

Then, simply follow the on screen instructions.

If you deleted your /conf/_basic_config.php file, you will be asked to reconfigure the database access information.

Step 6. Check the installation

Step 7. Delete the /install subfolder

Deleting the /install is important for best security and will prevent others from overwriting your settings.

Step 8. Restore previous customizations

If you had made some hacks/customizations to your b2evolution installation, we recommend you get yourself a diff/merge tool like Beyond Compare or WinMerge. This will allow you to easily compare your old (backed-up) files with the new files (even whole directories at once) and report changes accordingly.

In the specific instructions section above, you may find useful information for upgrading from and to your specific versions.

If the back-office works fine but the public interface to your blogs has problems, please try switching back to one of the standard skins included in the distribution in order to make sure whether or not the problem is due to a third party/custom skin.

If you still have problems, please try disabling all your plugins (you won’t lose your settings) in order to assess whether or not the problem might be caused by an incompatible plugin.